Kuso Steam Game Review: Just As Relaxing As It Is Challenging

Looking for a good game to play on Steam? Look no further than kuso. Before I get into how it made me feel incredibly calm and rage filled at the same time, let me give you some backstory on this game and what it’s all about.

kuso is a game that was created by new and emerging developer Fred Wood. It’s described as “a reductive platformer that focuses on creating a fair challenge that is able to be mastered by dedicated players.” And that’s no small feat to master this game, but certainly a heck of a lot of fun to try. The game allows you to run, jump, and leave your own checkpoint (more on how much I loved this feature later).

The story of kuso is pretty interesting. “You are fiveEight. You have woken up to find the world has been replaced by terrible machinery powered by horrible means. You don’t remember anything, but you find you have the ability to cheat death by leaving a shadow of yourself behind. Find your way through 25 dangerous landscapes to find freedom and the light at the end.” Alright, cheat death, gotcha, let’s do this.

There was one thing that tickled me to learn about this game, that I bet you’ll get a kick out of as well. A burning question I had is, well, where the heck did the name come from? On its Steam page, the developer reveals that the name is, “inspired by the shout of frustration you might’ve heard in a Japanese Arcade in the early 90’s (or perhaps even still today) when a player made a mistake that cost them a play.” That’s actually super clever!

Graphics

At a glance, the graphics seem very simple. But there is something very calming once you take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The moving objects, even on the most challenging and frustrating levels, certainly make you want to take a few moments to let it sink in. Don’t believe me? Check out the trailer of kuso below to see what I’m talking about.

Controls

Controls are quite simple, which I felt like less was definitely more in this game. You have functions to move, jump, de-spawn and leave a checkpoint. As challenging as this game gets at times, that’s really all you need. If you don’t feel at ease using your keyboard controls, the game also offers full controller support for xlnput gamepads. I unfortunately did not have a controller at the time of this review, and while the commands are very simple, I think a controller would have offered me a little more ease in movement once the levels became more challenging.

Gameplay

One of my most favorite things about this game is that you can leave your checkpoint anywhere you want to drop it. You have to be strategic about where to leave it though. I felt like that made the game a lot more fun. You think it would take away from the challenging aspect of the game, but it really didn’t. You find yourself saying “Well, I certainly can’t just leave it mid-air, and I don’t wanna go all the way back here.” Don’t even mention how frustrated you get with yourself when you get really into the game and straight up forget to leave a checkpoint for a while. Curse words will ensue.

The frustrations will come from the challenges itself. They get increasingly harder as you progress through the game. However, I do feel like it’s one of those games where the more challenging it is, the more determined you get to pass it. After a bunch of “oh hell naw”s and a few other choice words, three hours had passed. I did not want to leave my office until I made it past those flames, dammit!

I really wanted to save my progress with this game. That’s probably the only downside is that after a binge like that, I’d like to not have to start all the way from the beginning. But if you’re the determined type, you’ll breeze through the previous levels just to complete those few final levels. Hey, can’t leave a game unfinished right?

However, I don’t believe that alone is enough to discourage you from playing the game. I’d advise not doing it when you have to leave in half and hour, because you WILL be sitting in your underwear, at your computer, thinking where has the time gone.

“So. When Should I Get It?”

Yesterday. Seriously, this frustratingly serene simple game is a great way to utilize those upcoming 3 day weekends. Have a blanket and a bowl of snacks nearby, because you aren’t going to want to leave your seat. It’s a very addictive game. Just be sure to check in and let your friends know that you’re still alive.

Overall, I’d say kuso is a great game. You don’t even have to be a Certified Gamer (trademark) to like it as much as I did. You’d have a fun time just videotaping a friend playing it and recording all of the expletive that will come out of there mouth.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a level I desperately need to pass.

Interested in giving this game a go? It’s available on Steam right now. Learn more and download the game here. Already played the game and want to let us know what you think? Let us know in the comments section below!

Kuso Steam Game Review: Just As Relaxing As It Is Challenging was last modified: November 17th, 2017 by Quinzel Lee